Rotuma Island, islanddependency of Fiji, South Pacific Ocean, 400 miles (640 km) north-northwest of Suva. Rotuma is a volcanic island surrounded by eight islets. Sighted in 1791 by the British naval ship Pandora during its search for the HMS Bounty mutineers, the main island was formerly called Grenville. The group was annexed by Great Britain in 1881 and attached administratively to Fiji, then a British possession. The village of Ahau is the site of the government administrative centre as well as a post office, bank, and health centre. Copra, root vegetables, and woven mats are exported through the small ports of Motusa in the west and Oinafa in the northeast. An airstrip is located on the northern coast between Oinafa and Ahau. The Rotuman population is of primarily Polynesian origin. During the latter half of the 20th century many Rotumans migrated to other areas of Fiji. Area 18 square miles (47 square km). Pop. (2007 prelim.) 2,095.

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...from free migrants. There are minorities of part-Europeans, Chinese, and Pacific Islanders who have origins outside Fiji. In the last group is the Polynesian population of the Fijian dependency of Rotuma—an island of 18 square miles (47 square km) located about 400 miles (645 km) north-northwest of Suva—and the Banabans. The latter were forced to leave their home island, Banaba,...